Heat dissipation element with mounting structure

ABSTRACT

A heat dissipation element with mounting structure includes a main body and a plurality of mounting elements. The main body includes a first side and a second side, between which a chamber is defined; a plurality of supports located in the chamber and respectively connected at two opposite ends to the first side and the second side of the main body; a working fluid filled in the chamber; and at least one wick structure layer internally attached to the chamber. The mounting elements respectively define an axial bore and have an end extended through the first side of the main body into the supports to thereby connect to the main body. With these arrangements, the heat dissipation element with the mounting elements connected thereto can tightly contact with a heat-generating element and maintain the chamber in the main body in an airtight state without leakage.

This application claims the priority benefit of Taiwan patentapplication number 100129393 filed on Aug. 17, 2011.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a heat dissipation element withmounting structure, and more particularly to a heat dissipation elementthat has mounting elements connected thereto without causing damage to amain body thereof or leakage of a chamber in the main body to therebyavoid adverse influences on the heat transfer efficiency of the heatdissipation element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In response to the consumers' demands for compact electronic devices,all the electronic elements for the electronic devices must also bereduced in size. However, heat generated by the size-reduced electronicelements forms a main hindrance to the good performance of the compactelectronic devices. Nevertheless, consumers still demand for enhancedperformance of the electronic devices even if the semiconductors formingthe electronic elements are constantly reduced in size.

A size-reduced semiconductor element would have increased heat flux.With the increased heat flux, it becomes more difficult to overcome theproblem of cooling an electronic device. The increase of heat flux wouldcause overheat of the electronic device at different time and overdifferent length or size of the device, and might cause damage to oreven burnout of the whole electronic device.

A vapor chamber is applied to transfer heat between two relatively largefaces, and is therefore different from a heat pipe that transfers heatbetween two points. And, the vapor chamber can be advantageously used ina relatively narrow space.

The vapor chamber has a heat absorption face and an opposite condensingface, and internally defines a vacuum space having a working fluidfilled therein. The vacuum space is internally provided with a pluralityof supports and a wick structure. The supports are respectivelyconnected at two ends to the heat absorption face and condensing facefor supporting the vacuum space. The heat absorption face of the vaporchamber is in contact with a heat source while the condensing face isconnected to another heat dissipation element, so that heat absorbed bythe working fluid is further transferred to the another dissipationdevice and dissipates into external environment therefrom. The workingfluid absorbs heat from the heat absorption face and is thereforevaporized. The vapor-phase working fluid flows in the vacuum space tothe condensing face and condenses into liquid again when contacting withthe condensing face. The liquid-phase working fluid flows back towardthe heat absorption face due to a capillary effect of the wick structurein the vacuum space to thereby complete one cycle of liquid-vaporcirculation in the vapor chamber to transfer heat.

The conventional vapor chamber is used with a circuit board, so thatheat generated by heat-generating elements on the circuit board istransferred to the vapor chamber and is finally dissipated into ambientair from the condensing face of the vapor chamber. To connect the vaporchamber to the circuit board, an internally threaded hollow copper postis extended through each of four corners of the vapor chamber withoutinterfering with the vacuum space, and holes are formed on the circuitboard at a positions corresponding to the copper posts, so thatfastening elements can be screwed through the copper posts and the holesto lock the vapor chamber to the circuit board. To avoid interferingwith the vacuum space, the copper posts are provided at four corners ofthe vapor chamber to locate relatively distant from the heat-generatingelements. As a result, the heat absorption face of the vapor chamber isnot in tight contact with the heat source and there is a thermalresistance between the vapor chamber and the heat-generating elements.To overcome the above problems, there are manufacturers who try toprovide the copper posts on the vapor chamber at positions near theheat-generating elements. That is, the copper posts are directlyextended through the vacuum space of the vapor chamber. In this manner,the vapor chamber can be in tight contact with the heat source toprevent the thermal resistance. However, the vacuum space being extendedthrough by the copper posts loses its vacuum tightness and is no longerin a vacuum state. Further, the copper posts extended through the vacuumspace would inevitably form an impediment in the flow path of theworking fluid filled in the vacuum space to thereby have adverseinfluence on the smooth flowing of the working fluid and cause reductionin the heat transfer efficiency of the vapor chamber. In some worseconditions, the working fluid might leak out of the vacuum space toresult in a useless vapor chamber. In brief, the vapor chamber with theconventional mounting structure is subjected to the following problems:(1) there would be a thermal resistance between the vapor chamber andthe heat source; and (2) the vapor chamber might have reduced heattransfer efficiency.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a heatdissipation element with mounting structure, so that a main body of theheat dissipation element is in tight contact with a heat-generatingelement via the mounting structure to avoid a thermal resistance.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a heat dissipationelement with mounting structure, in which the mounting structure doesnot cause any damage to a main body of the heat dissipation element toensure vacuum tightness of a chamber in the main body.

To achieve the above and other objects, the heat dissipation elementwith mounting structure according to the present invention includes amain body and a plurality of mounting elements.

The main body includes a first side and a second side, between which achamber is defined; a plurality of supports located in the chamber andrespectively connected at two opposite ends to the first side and thesecond side of the main body; a working fluid filled in the chamber; andat least one wick structure layer internally attached to the chamber.

The mounting elements respectively define an axial bore and have an endextended through the first side of the main body into the supports tothereby connect to the main body.

The heat dissipation element with mounting structure according to thepresent invention not only enables tight attachment of the heatdissipation element to heat-generating elements to avoid undesirablethermal resistance, but also ensures vacuum tightness of the chamber inthe main body to avoid undesirable leakage of working fluid from thechamber because the mounting elements are extended into the supportswithout causing damage to the air-tightness of the chamber in the mainbody.

Therefore, the present invention provides the following advantages: (1)it can be tightly attached to the heat-generating elements to avoidthermal resistance; (2) it does not cause leakage of working fluid fromthe chamber of the main body; and (3) it has prolonged service life.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The structure and the technical means adopted by the present inventionto achieve the above and other objects can be best understood byreferring to the following detailed description of the preferredembodiments and the accompanying drawings, wherein

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a heat dissipation elementwith mounting structure according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is an assembled view of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an assembled perspective view of a heat dissipation elementwith mounting structure according to a second embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a heat dissipation elementwith mounting structure according to a third embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 6 is an assembled view of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is an assembled perspective view of a heat dissipation elementwith mounting structure according to a fourth embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 9 is an assembled sectional view of a heat dissipation element withmounting structure according to a fifth embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention will now be described with some preferredembodiments thereof and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Forthe purpose of easy to understand, elements that are the same in thepreferred embodiments are denoted by the same reference numerals.

Please refer to FIGS. 1 and 2 that are exploded and assembledperspective views, respectively, of a heat dissipation element withmounting structure according to a first embodiment of the presentinvention; and to FIG. 3 that is a sectional view taken along line A-Aof FIG. 2. As shown, the present invention in the first embodimentincludes a main body 1 and a plurality of mounting elements 2.

The main body 1 includes a first side 12 and a second side 13, betweenwhich a chamber 11 is defined; a plurality of supports 14 located in thechamber 11 and respectively connected at two opposite ends to the firstside 11 and the second side 12 of the main body 1; a working fluid 3filled in the chamber 11, and at least one wick structure layer 15internally attached to the chamber 11 with structural integrity.

The mounting elements 2 respectively define an axial bore 21 and have anend extended through the first side 12 of the main body 1 into thesupports 14 to thereby connect to the main body 1. The bores 21 of themounting elements 2 are respectively provided with internal screwthreads 211.

The mounting elements 2 are connected to the main body 1 by way ofwelding, corona discharging, machining, or ultrasonic welding, and areextended through the first side 12 of the main body 1 into the supports14 by way of a mechanical process. The mechanical process can include,but not limited to, stamping, boring and drilling.

Since the mounting elements 2 are connected to the main body 1 byextending respective one end through the first side 12 of the main body1 at positions corresponding to the supports 14, the mounting elements 2would not have any adverse influence on the air-tightness of the chamber11 defined in the main body 1, so that the chamber 11 is still in avacuum state and the working fluid 2 filled therein would not leak outof the chamber 11.

Please refer to FIG. 4 that is an assembled perspective view of a heatdissipation element with mounting structure according to a secondembodiment of the present invention. As shown, the second embodiment isgenerally structurally similar to the first embodiment, except that themain body 1 in the second embodiment further includes at least one heatabsorption zone 16. The heat absorption zone 16 is raised from an outersurface of the main body 1 and is located in the vicinity of themounting elements 2.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are exploded and assembled perspective views,respectively, of a heat dissipation element with mounting structureaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention. As shown, thethird embodiment is generally structurally similar to the firstembodiment, except that the main body 1 in the third embodiment isdesigned for correspondingly attaching to a circuit board 4. Morespecifically, the main body 1 in the third embodiment is provided on anouter surface with at least one raised heat absorption zone 16 forcontacting with at least one heat source 41 on the circuit board 4. Thecircuit board 4 is provided at locations around the heat source 41 witha plurality of holes 42 corresponding to the mounting elements 2. A heatsink 5 is further connected to another outer surface of the main body 1opposite to the heat absorption zone 16. Fastening elements 6 areextended through the holes 42 on the circuit board 4 into the mountingelements 2 to lock the main body 1 and the circuit board 4 to eachother.

Please refer to FIG. 7 that is an assembled perspective view of a heatdissipation element with mounting structure according to a fourthembodiment of the present invention, and to FIG. 8 that is a sectionalview taken along line B-B of FIG. 7. As shown, the fourth embodiment isgenerally structurally similar to the first embodiment, except that themain body 1 in the fourth embodiment is formed from a first plate 1 aand a second plate 1 b, which are closed to each other to togetherdefine the chamber 11 therebetween.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a heat dissipation element with mountingstructure according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. Asshown, the fourth embodiment is generally structurally similar to thefirst embodiment, except that the mounting elements 2 in the fifthembodiment are extended through the first side 12 of the main body 1 anda full length of the supports 14 without extending into the second side13 of the main body 1.

The present invention has been described with some preferred embodimentsthereof and it is understood that many changes and modifications in thedescribed embodiments can be carried out without departing from thescope and the spirit of the invention that is intended to be limitedonly by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heat dissipation element with mountingstructure, comprising: a main body including a first side and a secondside, between which a sealed chamber is defined; a plurality of discreetsupport elements located in the chamber and respectively connected attwo opposite ends to the first side and the second side of the mainbody; a working fluid filled in the chamber; and at least one wickstructure layer internally attached to the chamber; and a plurality ofmounting elements respectively defining an axial bore and having an endextended through the first side of the main body into the supportelements to thereby connect to the main body in a manner that does notfluidly communicate with the sealed chamber.
 2. The heat dissipationelement with mounting structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the boresdefined in the mounting elements are internally provided with screwthreads.
 3. The heat dissipation element with mounting structure asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the wick structure layer is internallyattached to the chamber with structural integrity.
 4. The heatdissipation element with mounting structure as claimed in claim 1,wherein the main body is correspondingly attached to a circuit board,and is provided on an outer surface with at least one raised heatabsorption zone for contacting with at least one heat source on thecircuit board; the circuit board being provided at locations around theheat source with a plurality of holes corresponding to the mountingelements; and the main body being connected at another outer surfaceopposite to the heat absorption zone to a heat sink.
 5. The heatdissipation element with mounting structure as claimed in claim 4,wherein the main body and the circuit board are locked to each other byfastening elements extended through the holes formed on the circuitboard into the bores of the mounting elements connected to the mainbody.
 6. The heat dissipation element with mounting structure as claimedin claim 1, wherein the main body is provided on an outer surface withat least one raised heat absorption zone, and the raised heat absorptionzone being located in the vicinity of the mounting elements.
 7. The heatdissipation element with mounting structure as claimed in claim 1,wherein the main body is formed from a first plate and a second platethat are correspondingly closed to each other to define the chambertherebetween.
 8. The heat dissipation element with mounting structure asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the mounting elements are extended throughthe first side of the main body and a full length of the supportswithout extending into the second side of the main body.
 9. The heatdissipation element with mounting structure as claimed in claim 1,wherein the mounting elements are extended through the first side of themain body into the supports by way of a mechanical process, and themechanical process being selected from the group consisting of stamping,boring, and drilling.